FAQ

Alternate food source for caterpillar Butterfly hatching

Caring for a wounded butterfly Forming a chrysalis

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

EE, from Ontario (1999) - wrote into another bulletin board, but I thought it was interesting -

I've been raising Eastern Black Swallowtails in southern Ontario (to educate myself) for the past few years. I haven't had any problems with them.

This year I got some Monarch eggs from the vacant lot and raised them in a small meshed enclosure. Out of the 20+ eggs collected, I ended up with 10 surviving caterpillars. They all pupated successfully (or so I thought). Very exciting to raise the generation that will migrate!

The first of 10 emerged this morning. It's definitely mutated. The proboscis looks like a bifurcated corkscrew, and won't/can't uncoil, so the butterfly can't feed. A feathery bit near its mouth part is stuck in an upward position on one side. Also, it was unable to pump fluid into its wings, which look like scrunched up, dry, curly, translucent paper. By this afternoon, antennae drooping, it was clear that it was dying and wouldn't make it.

Never having raised Monarchs before, I don't know what's normal for them. For instance, I thought that this particular caterpillar might have a problem, as when it was resting it got really loose and kind of lolled around on the milkweed leaf. Is this normal for Monarchs? Swallowtails don't loll when they're resting. I know what kind of behavior to expect from them. Also, in their final instar as caterpillars, the Monarchs went through a period of striking the leaves they were feeding on with their heads in a kid of percussive action almost like communication. Does anyone know what that behavior is all about?

I've noticed a few ants bearing aphids, which I've carefully picked off the Monarch chrysalides, and some very small flies that keep crawling on the jade jewels that I can't get at. Could these be a contributing factor? Or are they a 'normal' part of the process?

I've heard that butterflies are prone to viruses... if this is a virus, can it be transmitted to the neighboring Swallowtail caterpillars or chrysalides?

Any ideas on what went wrong? Is there anything I can do for the remaining chrysalides, other than wait and see? I'd really appreciate any input as I don't want this to happen again.

Joe Kunkel, Professor - Biology Department, University of Massachusetts at Amherst - replied:

To be more correct you might rather call your 'mutant' a 'sport'. Sports are abnormal individuals about which one does not have enough info to tell whether the cause of the abnormality is genetic or embryological accident or physical/environmental damage.

Viruses and bacteria can certainly do in lep cultures. Usually they are difficult to get rid of when they infest your rearing area. My experience and that of colleagues has been to clean your rearing chambers thoroughly if you have to reuse them. Disposable containers are best such as dixie cups with saran wrap or paper coffee cups with lids. These disposables do not come with viruses. If a wooden cage gets infected with a virus it is best to make a new one rather than try to clean it.

Viruses tend to be more host specific and might not jump between families of leps. Bacteria are able to infect between orders (or even phyla).

If anyone would like to write Joe personally, please send e-mails to: joe@bio.umass.edu.

Kim, from Maine (1999) - We have a monarch butterfly that went from a caterpillar to a butterfly in my son's bug cage. The problem is that she came out of her chrysalis on Monday and still has not been able to fly on her own. One of her wings is curled and her body is crooked and we think maybe that is why she cannot fly on her own. We take her out every morning and put her in my mom's flower garden to fly, but she just sits there until we bring her in. We're afraid a bird might get her. We've never done this before and don't know what we should do. Do you have any advice for us and her?

Very sorry to hear of your experience with this butterfly that was somehow crippled. To be quite honest, there isn't much else you can do for the butterfly other than what care you have been giving it. About the only other thing you can do, if you so choose, is to keep it in the house and offer it sugar water (70% water, 30% sugar) from a lid off a butter container or jar. In order for butterflies to survive, they must have the ability to fly so they can keep their strength up. Under conditions, such as this where they are crippled, they do not live for very long. You could have this butterfly anywhere between three to five days before it passes on. However you find it "convenient" to take care of this magnificent creature, I will leave it up to you.

Is the bug cage, your son has, big enough for the butterfly to emerge and spread out comfortably within?

Reply: We just wanted to let you know that we fed the sugar water, got her strength up and she took flight Sunday afternoon! We had been taking her out every day and letting her fly around and Sunday she took flight and she was off. Thanks again for your advice, we feel that feeding her that sugar water is what got her strength up for her to fly!

More information: Sharon, from Pennsylvania (1999), found a wounded monarch and placed a call with the Butterfly Garden to find out what kind of food source monarch butterflies feed upon. They suggested for her to keep the monarch and feed it Hummingbird nectar.

Darryl, from Auckland (1999) - My wife recently planted swan plants in our garden and was delighted to find later that it was inhabited by monarch caterpillars. As we have never before cared for caterpillars, we were astonished to find that they have eaten the swan plants to shreds. We searched the net to find if there was an alternative plant that they like. When we found your site, we printed off the page "Raising Tips" and thought we would e-mail you for any suggestions you may have. We have taken the caterpillars inside when they transformed into chrysalises to protect them. We break off the stem they're attached to and cello tape them (the stems) to the underneath of a shelf. Is this wise?

Regarding the food supply shortage with the swan plants, it is not an uncommon problem in your area. It is very important, for the monarchs development, to have the swan plant as its primary food source. This is why you cannot find any alternative to their diet. However, if you are in a bind where you cannot find any swan plants at your local plant nursery, you may substitute the caterpillars hearty appetite with pumpkin pulp. This is not and should not be used as their primary food source or the caterpillars will not pupate properly (transform into a chrysalis state - or they may transform but die in that state). My suggestion is for you to call around and see if any of the plant nurseries have any extra swan plants you can purchase from them.

When you state that you break off the chrysalises at the stem and cello tape them to the underneath of a shelf, what does that exactly mean? You can get by pulling the chrysalis off, stem and all, and either taping their silky-spun threads (what they spun out so they could attach themselves securely to a plant or branch) or even take some dental floss, tie that around their stem and secure it to something else. I've used dental floss attachments before when a chrysalis is half hanging from the lid of a container. From there, I secure it more steadily by tying dental floss to the stem, pulling the floss through the holes in the lid and tying the ends. Tape works good too, but sometimes their threads are so silky that the tape may not hold it securely enough before the butterfly hatches. Another thing you will have to watch for is when the chrysalises hatch. With the cello tape holding the chrysalises up, they now have nothing rough to grab hold of for leverage and the butterfly may fall to its doom. They can grab hold of their own spun threads, a branch, soft side of velcro or anything of that matter in which you could possibly think of to place around the top of the chrysalis.

You're doing just fine with everything and I'd encourage you to keep up the good work!

More information: Grant, from New Zealand, (2000) wrote this:

"Monarch season in NZ is from late November through to early May. Monarchs are distributed throughout the North Island of NZ and as far south as Chritchurch (half way down) in the South Island. We have approximately 10 varieties of Asclepias in NZ (all the main ones) and generally the less toxic ones. West Lynn Gardens is currently the only place in NZ, and I think Australia, that offers butterfly releases and we have no restrictions with regards to butterfly releases of Monarchs and also no virus's in our NZ gene pool either."

For those of you who would like to communicate with Grant Hackett, please send e-mails to: grant.hackett@xtra.co.nz

Thank you for your help Grant! :~)

Jan (1999) - I have four captured caterpillars that are in/going in the chrysalis stage. I'm worried that my "babies" will hatch from their chrysalises while I'm at work. Is there a way that I can delay the process--perhaps put them in a closet where it is dark? You mentioned the process is slower on a cloudy day. If you can help me with that, I would appreciate it.

Well, there's not a lot you can personally do in prolonging the monarchs from hatching out of their chrysalises. Is there a family member or a neighborhood friend you can trust upon letting the monarchs go when it's time? Depending on where you work and what you do, would it be possible to transport them with you and let them go on your lunch hour? If nothing else, you can always find a way to "secure" them outside during the hours you're at work so they can take flight on their own when ready. Whatever the chrysalises are hanging from, you can take that and rig something steady up for them (so whatever they're hanging from doesn't move in the wind too much or tip over) in your own back yard. Hope something here can help you out in the short run and good luck!!

Nancy, from Wisconsin (1999) - What is the purpose of the lines of gold and black spots on the chrysalis? Do they have something to do with pigmentation chemicals?

In a reference book, it states that the general group of compounds go by the collective name Melanin's (plural - singular's Melanin and when people talk about Melanin as a pigment in human beings, people normally talk about it in singular). Melanin's is listed as pigments responsible for the dark color of skin, hair, feathers, fur, insect cubical, found also in fungi and bacteria, and in pathological human urine where it is an indication of Melanotic tumors. Possible structures for Melanin's; (apparently it is a group of compounds and it may not be well defined because structures are probably mixtures of) polymers produced by enzymes systems from various precursor in the form of granules and may be bound to protein material. That suggests there is a whole family of compounds named Melanin's as a general family.

(1998) - Could you please advise what alternative food sources we can use for our Caterpillars, as they are running out of their natural food. We have found out that mature caterpillars will feed for up to 3 weeks on pumpkin flesh, but we have not been game to try this yet.

As pumpkin pulp may have been found to be a good alternative food source, I do not recommend the continuous usage of it since the caterpillar will cease to pupate (go into a chrysalis formation) if that is their main food source. They need to feed upon milkweed leaves.

Another alternative is to call a local plant nursery and see if they have any milkweed plants you can purchase from them.

More information: Kerry, from New Zealand, (1999) wrote in that further research has found that the caterpillars will eat Zucchini, aka Courgette (a miniature marrow), but not sure whether they will pupate on this diet.

Phil, from Louisiana (1998) - Do monarchs distance themselves from each other when they form a chrysalis?

Nature is unpredictable and I have had caterpillars which would chew down a hanging chrysalis because it was "in their way" of where they wanted to hang. The chrysalises are not eaten by another caterpillar - merely laid to waste by them because a butterfly cannot hatch properly from the ground.

More information: Phil keeps us informed (2000):

"Our past two winters have been very mild and the milk weed has grown throughout the winter. Each life cycle of the monarch slows down as the weather gets colder. I have had monarchs in the chrysalis stage for as long as 33 days. The caterpillars also eat slower and take longer to grow. After hatching, the monarchs will stay around the yard for more than two days before flying off."

Thank you Phil, it's always a pleasure hearing from you! ;~)

Amanda, from New York (1998) wrote in: I am doing a report on the Monarch Butterfly for my science class. I found a bunch of great info at your web site, but I was unable to find anything on any of it's predators or special behaviors (communication, eating or sleeping habits, birth of young, or method of movement). Do you know any info on these topics or another web site where I could find that kind of info?

"In attempting to find an answer for Amanda, on the predators, I couldn't find anything that actually listed the predators. I did give her links to other web sites regarding the other questions she had and she actually came up with the answer a couple days later, herself."

Amanda: The predators of the monarch butterfly are:

Catbirds

Cuckoos

Steller Jay

Black Headed Grosbeak

Black Beaked Oriole

Shrew

Black Eared Mouse

Bass

Cats

The books that I got the info from were The Travels of Monarch X by Ross E. Hutchins and An Extraordinary Life by Laurence Pringle.

"Just a word of advise when looking for these books in the library or to purchase, 'The Travels of Monarch X' is out of print. Amanda visited her local library and found these books to look in but not all local libraries are carrying 'The Travels of Monarch X'.

I thank you, Amanda, for the research you put into your work and for the information you relayed back to me to help others."